Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-10-06
CONJURERS' MISHAP.
Sleight-of- Hand Tricks That Proved
Expensive to Their Performers.

Conjnrers, despite the 'quickness of
hand" they usually get credit for, maks
some awkward and most amusing
blunders. But they have this In their
favor, that the audience seldom knows
of the mishap that has occ curred.
AS is well Known, a great many Of
the articles to be performed with are
borrowed from the audience, such as
watches, bank notes, rings, haudker-
chiefs, etc., and the owners OF these
articles should not be surprised IL they
receiyedthem back In n damaged condi-
tiuu, when tho treatment they arc sub
jected to Is taken into condition. They
are supposed to DO mashed. burned, or
In some manner destroyed, aud then
mysteriously put to rights again and,
although sensible people know full well
that the genuine article has net really
been destroyed. but that o substitution
has been adroitly effected, still the
process OF substitution Is often attended
with great risk to the articles operated
upon- such ms dropping them quickly
into the operators pocket, or into
traps, or slipping them into an assist
ants hand.
A conjurer performing recently In
the south Of Scotland asked for the loan
of a watch. A gentleman lent him a
valuable gold chronometer. A wonder
full tricA was performed with 1t, and
the au dience accorded the performer
a heavy round Of applause but when
the gentleman got his watch back a
II note was slipped into his hand init
mating that his watch had been dam
aged. but he would be compensated for
il at the close Of the entertainment.
The watch was indeed damaged but
the performer paid the owner its full
price Some performers have been most
unfortunate in this way. We know one
who had TO pay the full price for dam
aged watches three times in as many
years, and each time owing TO the gross
carelessness of his assistant.
a few years ago young conjurer
who has since acquired some celebrity,
gave his first public entertainment, and
was assisted behind the scenes by some
kind friends. The loan Of bank note
was requested, and one for twenty
pounds was handed 10 the performer.
This he successfully substituted for
sham note, passing the genuine one, 10y
means OF trap in his table TO his as
sistants behinc. He then proceeded To
burn the duplicate at the flame of a
candle, all the while enjoying the dis
comnture OF the lender, who apparent
ly fully believed that his twenty pound
note was being destroyed, and who was
heard 10 remark III had known he
was going 10 do that with II he
shouldn't have got it," But the per-
formers enjoyment at the lenders
anxiety was Of short duration. for when
the act Of restoration came about he
discovered TO his horror that his friends
had completely destroyed the genuine
note as he had the sham one. An ex-
planation was made 10 the lender, the
audience knew nothing of the disaster.
and before the conclusion OF the enter
tain ment the lender was compensated
I FOR his loss.
Prof. G. hailing from the North of
Scotland. had acquired great dexterity In
his manipulation Of eggs, withwhich he
performed number of clever illusions.
In practicing these feats he generally
used hard boiled eggs, but he very care
Iessly allowed several unboiled eggs to
get mixed up with the boiled ones, so
that after some time he could not tell
the boiled from the unboiled. He was
punished for his carelessness in a way
he never dreamed of. He was engaged
to perform at Christmas party held
at the mansion of the Lord Provost, of
a Scotch city. His audience on that
occasion was the most fashionable to
which he had performed either before
or since.
His first experiment consisted in ex-
tracing eggs from the fame OF can
die that stood upon his table. Three
eggs were successfully produced, which
be proceeded, as was his custom. TO
hand around to prove their genuine
ness but In handing one Of them TO a
gentleman to examine he allowed ore
Of the others to fall, which, striking on
the knee Of lady, broke aud be-
smeared her dress.
The egg having been long In the per-
formers possession was considerably
"stale." A disagreeable and sicken.
, ing odor speedily filed the apartment,
handkerchiefs and smelling bottles
were brought into reQuisition, the
! young lady hal TO retire and change
her dress, which she never wore agai:,
the other ladies also quilted the apart
ment and the entertainment was
= brought TO an abrupt terminatiOn.-